Home Learning
Play together, go out for walks, let them play with siblings and by themselves, allow downtime, Ipad, Tv, time in the garden etc
We hope the below lists help to give you some ideas of things you could do with your child at home, you know your child best so know which activities they will and won’t be able to access, you will also have some good ideas of your own, this list is by no means exhaustive but we hope it is useful.
Please take a photo of activities you do and upload it to Evidence for Learning or email it to us.
Please find attached at the bottom of this page some useful suggestions from other professionals and a social story.
Activities
Spelling words- high frequency spelling words – http://www.highfrequencywords.org/first-100-high-frequency-word-lists.html
Learn your Time tables e.g. https://www.timestables.co.uk/5-times-table.html
Reading – 20 mins a day and sign off in reading record
Read a book and write a book review
Online Learning
New online learning activities;
Free books https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/find-a-book/library-page/
Reading comprehension https://readtheory.org/app/sign-up/role
Parent led resources site https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/distance-education-resources-for-children-and-young-people-with-send/
National History museum https://www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/try-this-at-home.html
Cooking at home https://www.myfussyeater.com/
Gardening https://www.growveg.com/
Art and crafts http://www.creativebug.com/classes
Imagination Tree https://theimaginationtree.com/
Big History Project https://www.bighistoryproject.com/home
DK Find Out https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/
Online learning activities:
Cool maths games https://www.coolmathgames.com/
Top marks maths games https://www.topmarks.co.uk/
Scratch https://scratch.mit.edu/
Phonics play http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/
Username: churchill
Password: apple321
Help kidzlearn www.helpkidzlearn.com/
Username: churchillpark1
Password: churchillpark1
Twinkl www.twinkl.co.uk/offer and enter the code UKTWINKLHELPS
Cbeebies games https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games
National Geographic kids https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/
Mystery Science https://mysteryscience.com/
The kids should see this – online videos – https://thekidshouldseethis.com
Crash course kids – educational videos https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcoursekids
Science experiments – https://www.science-sparks.com/fairy-tale-science-experiments/
Fun sensory activities to do at home and outdoor- https://rainydaymum.co.uk/
White Rose Maths – https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/
Science Ideas – https://www.stem.org.uk/in-school-activities
Crick are offering free Clicker 8 licences during the Coronavirus outbreak to support home use.
- Parents can apply direct.
- It is for schools/parents with or without Clicker 8.
- It is time limited for 6 weeks initially but this will be revised as needed.
https://www.cricksoft.com/uk/clicker/covid-19-access
Cosmic yoga videos – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhYtcadR9nw
PE & sensory circuits from Parkside School – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUTi5prYawoEmjPt7PsR77g/
David Walliams free audiobooks – https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/
Arty, crafty ideas – https://www.carlasonheim.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CSP_ArtPrompts-2.pdf
Writing tips and activities – https://bravewriter.com/about/homebound
Geography resources – https://www.geography.org.uk/Announcements-and-updates/the-ga-make-all-teaching-resources-open-access
Great indoors challenge activities – https://www.scouts.org.uk/the-great-indoors/
Musicals to watch – http://filmedonstage.com/news/76-free-musicals-and-plays-you-can-now-stream-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak-updating-daily?fbclid=IwAR0qs96DsvvzxMaB4cniWbexosv8eXO6DG4ud9RoLD0EAkQKgJG4EEJpH9w
Lottie dolls activity sheets – https://uk.lottie.com/pages/kids-activities?fbclid=IwAR1kmK9hCKWrOKkITHa6mTWhCsbewSWniGrTaU_VHuHwzM6cKPPZH5avQvQ
Guggenheim Art Books – https://mymodernmet.com/guggenheim-museum-free-books-online/?fbclid=IwAR2XmiYJp5ZffLxCuKwlAuQEES6m5v1cLgJQ1GpLHcLAw5SfQa5HM50efc0
Storytime from space – https://storytimefromspace.com/
Cincinnati zoo -home safari – http://cincinnatizoo.org/home-safari-resources/
Chester zoo activities at home – https://www.chesterzoo.org/schools/resources/?search=&types=at-home
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/dailylessons
https://www.thenational.academy/online-classroom
Short animated information clips about a variety of topics
Ted Ed – Educational talks and video clips, with questions
Ideas and activities for those working within an early years profile.
https://busytoddler.com/2020/03/indoor-activities/
Listening activities
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/radio
Explore More – story writing
Lego Games for Kids
https://www.lego.com/en-gb/kids/games
https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/InteractiveResources.htm
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/3-5-years/counting
Lots of tips and guides for learning together
Indoor activity suggestions from the Scouts
https://www.scouts.org.uk/the-great-indoors/
Children’s stories read online
https://www.storylineonline.net
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEventsOnline/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b00jdlm2/cbeebies-bedtime-stories
The World of David Walliams – activities and elevenses for an audio book each day
https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/activities/
Programming and coding
http://www.crunchzilla.com/code-monster
Maths
https://www.themathsfactor.com
https://nrich.maths.org/covid19
Science
https://www.rigb.org/families/experimental
https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/live-cams
https://www.chesterzoo.org/virtual-zoo-2/
Churchill Park pinterest board and App List- Activities and Ideas for English, Maths- under the Parents – Ideas and strategies section on the school’s website.
Challenges & Games
Challenges: Can you…?
- Help in the house and do some housework chores – washing up, dusting, vacuuming
- Help to prepare a snack or meal or do some baking
- Do some cloud spotting – what shapes can you see?
- Make a piece of artwork – paint, drawing, sculpture, textile, finger painting
- Do some gardening
- Go on a mini beast hunt in the garden
- Plant some seeds and measure their growth.
- Try some new fruits- which ones do you like?
- See how big a tower you can build using blocks, lego,
- Make a photo timeline of your life so far
- Do a jigsaw puzzle
- Do a treasure hunt around the house and garden
- Design and Technology Challenges – https://www.jamesdysonfoundation.co.uk/resources/challenge-cards.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvJHTiOue6AIVg_dRCh049QEsEAAYAiAAEgKMbfD_BwE
Games to play:
- I spy
- Memory games such as Kim’s game
- Simon Says
- Charades
- Scrabble or Boggle
- Board games
- 20 questions
Sensory Activities
There are Lots of ideas for sensory, mark making, craft and basic science experiments on Pinterest
Instagram accounts to follow for play and sensory ideas
@play.hooray
@fiveminutemum
@beckys_treasure_baskets
@the_play_at_home_mummas
@tufflove_and_sensoryplay
@sen_teacher_
@sensoryplay.uk
@earlyyearsoutdoor
@sensoryideas
Sensory/messy play ideas
• https://www.learning4kids.net/list-of-sensory-play-ideas/
• https://lemonlimeadventures.com/12-sensory-play-ideas-to-encourage-hands-on-learning/
• Cloud Dough
• Pour 1 Cup Baby Rice into a container
Add 3 Tablespoons of Melted Coconut Oil to the rice cereal.
Mix and let the mixture cool.
• Cornflour gloop
• Cornflour
• Water
• Colouring (if desired)
• Paint with different objects – sticks, plants, feathers, fruit/veg printing, hands and feet etc
• Water play
• Sock bubble snakes
Plastic bottle – wide end cut off, Sock, Washing up liquid and water
Put sock over end of bottle, dip into washing up liquid/water solution, blow through drinking end.
• Crazy soap
• Water spray bottles
• Coloured rice/spaghetti
• Ice play – freeze (safe or edible) objects in ice – explore them, try and melt them, use other tools to try and break the ice to get to objects
• Collect leaves, flowers, petals etc and make potions and perfumes
• Mud kitchens
• Have a bath purely for playing – take different toys, bath bombs, crazy soap etc, bath crayons
Play ideas
• Containers, sieves, pots and pans – play with rice, water, flour
• Digger land – set up vehicles with cereal, rice, soil, corks etc
• Nature hunt outside – make a list of objects to find
• Plant seeds/vegtables etc
• Dig for worms and other creatures
• Bath dolls
• Muddy puddles – tray with hot choc powder and water to make mud, put animals or anything that your child is interested in in muddy tray. Have a second tray with clean soapy water in and wash the animals/objects after they have got muddy.
• Duplo/lego/blocks
• Puzzles and jigsaws
Story ideas
• Twinkl has a range of sensory stories
• You tube has lots of stories recorded
• You can also do your own sensory story
Choose a book and get together some simple resources to support story in a sensory way: e.g.
Hair dryer on different temp settings for wind, hot sun
Water spray and umbrellas for rain
Spices for smells
Instruments for different noises/actions
Different fabrics and textures to feel
Soft toys to represent characters in the story
Food items for taste
Ice and heat packs for cold/warmth
Foil blankets
Mark making and fine motor
• Threading cheerios onto spaghetti
• Hammer golf tees into potatoes
• Poke straws into holes in a shoe box
• Posting activities – make hole in box and post items in
• Sticks etc into playdough
• Chalks on ground outside
• Paint sticks on windows (they do wash off)
• Painting with water and paintbrushes outside
• Threading beads onto pipe cleaners
• Pasta onto string
• Pipe cleaners into colander holes
• Draw/paint/mark make onto and inside cardboard box
• Colour matching activities – use coloured bowls and plates, find objects from around the home or just building blocks etc, can they sort into colours
• Water, washing up liquid and whisks
• Bath bombs
• Cutting and sticking using old magazines, make collages, use Argos catalogue to make a collage of favourite things
• Play with clothes pegs – hang out dolls clothes, socks etc on a washing line (tie piece of string between two chairs)
Sensory diet activities
• Wheelbarrow walking.
• Animal walks (e.g bear walks, crab walking, frog jumps)
• Trampolining.
• Cycling or using a scooter.
• Swings (forward and back, side to side, rotary)
• Rough and tumble play.
• Deep pressure squishing or sandwiching with pillows or balls
• Spinners and roundabouts
Jumping
• on bed
• sofa
• trampoline
Climbing
• rock walls
• jungle gyms
• monkey bars
• ropes
• slides
• through a tunnel
Swinging
• outdoor swings
• indoor swings
• swinging child in a blanket
Riding
• scooter board
• bikes
• scooters
• skateboard
• roller blades
• sleds
• any of the above over bumps or down hills
• seesaw
Pushing/Pulling Heavy Objects (Heavy Work Activities)
• carrying shopping
• pushing empty wheelie bins inside
• raking leaves
• pulling weeds
• shovelling mud/soil
• vacuuming
• pushing shopping trolley
• carrying a laundry basket
• a rope tied to a door knob or heavy object
Chewing
• crunchy foods
• gum
• salty or spicy foods
• chewy jewelry
• chewable pencil tops
• chewable safe toys
• teethers and chewable toys
Vibration (is alerting versus calming when used in short bursts)
• handheld massagers
• vibrating cushions/pillows
Playing active games
• running
• obstacle courses
• skipping
• leap frog
• tug of war
• wheelbarrow walking
• various animal walks (walking like a crab, hopping like a kangaroo, etc.)
• row, row, row your boat with a partner
• Swimming
• Crashing and jumping into pillows (put all of your pillows or soft toys in a pile on the floor)
Playing with textures (Stimulates the tactile sense)
• shaving cream
• finger Paint
• mud
• wet sand
• water
• ice
Blowing
• various whistles and noise makers
• bubbles
• pinwheels
Movement
• Rolling on a large ball on back or belly
• Sitting on a large ball – during meals, for homework/in school
• Scratching their back vigorously for a few minutes
Spinning (a very intense sensory experience, best for kids to spin themselves even if they love spinning. Be very cautious of spinning a child, and only do so a few times in both directions. This is important because it will help balance out their system.)
• swing
• swivel chair
• while standing
• sit and spin
Sensory Activities that are Calming
• Wearing Tight Clothing
• Body socks or stretchy bands for short intervals during play
• Compression clothing worn throughout the day
• Wearing compression or weighted vests for 10-20 minutes during difficult times of the day (i.e. transitions)
• Quiet time in sensory tent
Playing in sensory bin (tons of ideas, the sky is the limit)
• rice
• beans
• birdseed
• sand
• cloud dough
• spaghetti/ noodles
Touch
• Massage
• Kneeding playdough or therapy putty
Handling fidget toys (a wide variety of options)
• koosh balls
• stress balls
Squishing and squeezing
• hugs
• squeezing into tight spots or behind furniture
• wrapping up tightly in blanket
• sleeping in stretchy sheets that are tucked in on sides
• laying under a large yoga ball
• Sit or stand or a wobble cushion or wiggle seat (great for meals, homework, and crafts)
Using essential oils (different types of oils are used to calm or be alert)
• in room diffusers
• applying to skin
• in bath
Audio
• Listening to rhythmic or soft music
• Wearing noise cancelling headphones
Watching slow moving or soothing images
• Fish tank
• Lava lamp
• Slow changing lights
Sucking/drinking
• Drinking something warm
• Sucking thick milkshake through a straw
• Drinking something cold
Slow rocking
• Rocking chair
• Hammock
Calming
• Using heavy or weighed blankets or lap pads (check out the whole guide for weighted blankets here and how and when to use weighted lap pads.)
• Vibration (is calming rather than alerting when used for longer periods of time)
• Handheld massagers
• Vibrating cushions/pillows
• Teethers and chewable toys
Sensory Circuits
Set up a circuit
A sensory circuit is a great way both to energise and settle children. The aim is to focus concentration in readiness for the day’s learning. The circuit also encourages the development of the child’s sensory processing skills.
The circuit should be split into 3 sections
Alerting
The aim of this section is to provide vestibular and proprioceptive stimulation within a controlled setting.
Activities that could be used in this section include:
• Bouncing 10 times on trampet
• Spinning a hoop
• Walking on stilts
• Rolling on physio ball
• Bunny/frog hops
• Wheely boards
Organising
This section includes activities that require motor sensory processing, balance and timing. The child needs to organise their body, plan their approach and do more than one thing at a time in a sequential order.
Activities that could be used in this section include:
• Balancing on a beam
• Textured stepping stones
• Throwing bean bags into a hoop
• Blowing bubbles
• Wobble boards
• Climbing
Calming
The calming activities are very important as they provide input to ensure that children leave the circuit calm, centred and ready for the day ahead. Activities include proprioceptive or deep pressure activities
Activities that could be used in this section include:
• Squishes with big physio balls
• Lying under weighted blankets
• Hand massage
• Hand and feet in weighted bean bags
Play together, go out for walks, let them play with siblings and by themselves, allow down time, Ipad, Tv, time in the garden etc
We hope the above lists help to give you some ideas of things you could do with your child at home, you know your child best so know which activities they will and won’t be able to access, you will also have some good ideas of your own, this list is by no means exhaustive but we hope it is useful.
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